Kathleen Carroll and Family Give Back to Wilmington Community

One thing that Wilmington has always taken pride in is our sense of community.  Throughout town are people who are constantly giving back and doing everything they can to be good neighbors.

For lifelong Wilmington resident Kathleen Carroll, giving back to the community means supporting its future by supporting local kids.

A member of the Wilmington School Committee, The S.E.P.A.C. Committee, the Homework Policy Committee and a lunch lady at , Carroll has also spent time coaching boys basketball, teaches CCD and can be seen cheering the players on at nearly any Wilmington sports event.

As if all of that doesn’t sound like enough, Carroll is also busy at home raising her three children. She and her husband Kenneth have two boys; James, 12, and Patrick, 11, and one girl, Maggie, 10. All three are active, involved children who work hard at keeping their parents busy and on their toes.

For Kathleen, being a mom is job number one and her love and devotion shows in all three of her kids. It is, however, most evident, in her youngest daughter Maggie.

While she was pregnant, Kathleen and her husband Kenneth learned that Maggie was suffering from Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum, or damage to the bridge that connects the left and right brain. The outcome was uncertain at that point and, as Kathleen explained, “There were three possible outcomes.”

“We were told that she could be born with no handicap whatsoever or she could be severely handicapped,” said Kathleen. “Lastly there was a possibility that she would die within days.”

A tough enough diagnosis to face, the Carroll’s were doing it with two young boys already at home. Initially when Maggie was born, all seemed normal but three months later she wasn’t gaining weight and stopped breathing normally. Hope turned to heartbreak and Maggie was hospitalized and diagnosed. Several surgeries later she rejoined her family at home. 

“They sent nurses and other caregivers to the house,” remembered Carroll. “But I wasn’t letting anyone take care of Maggie but me.”  

Today Maggie’s future still remains uncertain and the Carroll family has learned to take every day as it comes. 

“People ask us what her outcome will be,” said Carroll. “And we tell them we simply don’t know. When she reaches a new milestone, no matter how small, we all stop to celebrate.”

Maggie has recently learned to walk with a walker, has mastered stairs with assistance, is potty trained and has even made her First Holy Communion. All of these are amazing feats for a child who is completely non-verbal.

Don’t, however, let Maggie’s lack of speech fool you. She knows what she wants and, after a little time with Maggie, so will you. Maggie is an incredibly expressive and alert child who has won the hearts of people all over Wilmington.  Frankly, it’s hard to walk past Maggie without stopping to say hello and see her smile. She is always happy and, oftentimes, the happiness becomes infectious.

“All of the kids in town are wonderful,” explained Carroll. “They know Maggie and, whenever they see her, they come over to say hello.”

Maggie’s teachers adore her and the feeling for the Carroll family is mutual.  “Thank goodness for all of her teachers," Kathleen said. "They are completely amazing. Every one of them came to Maggie’s First Communion.”

For Carroll, giving back to the community she loves is also an important part of her family life. “I love being out there in the community,” said Carroll. “I love watching the kids grow and seeing them when they graduate.”

Like so many of us Carroll appreciates how lucky we are to live in Wilmington.  “I’ve lived in this community my whole life and I know how great it is.”

Most people in Carroll’s position simply would not find the time to devote to their community but, fortunately for the students who benefit from her work; this isn’t the case for Kathleen Carroll.

"I volunteer so that I can help make it an enjoyable town for everyone,” she explained. “I want all the kids’ experiences to be positive.”